The present invention relates generally to wheeled stretchers typical of those used in hospitals. More particularly, this invention relates to a raisable and lowerable side rail assembly provided along each side of the stretcher to prevent a patient from falling from the stretcher.
Various types of bed-like equipment are commonly used in hospital and other health care facilities. Most common is the typical hospital bed, typically provided in a patient's room. Where the patient is a child, a crib may be used. Stretchers, normally provided with wheels for ease of movement, are used in a variety of situations.
One common type of wheeled stretcher is often used in emergency room settings, as well as in general hospital service for transporting patients from one location to another. Such a stretcher is of relatively heavy-duty construction, and includes a base supported by a plurality of wheels, the base in turn supporting the stretcher frame to which a bed portion is attached. As with most other hospital bed-like equipment, such a stretcher is normally provided with side rails which may be selectively raised or lowered. While the side rails must be capable of securely holding the patient on the stretcher, they must also be capable of sufficient movement out of the way to enable the patient to move or be moved from or onto the stretcher.
A number of means for mounting the side rails in movable fashion are known. For example, the side rails may be constructed to move upwardly or downwardly, in a vertical plane, in a fashion similar to the side rails of a crib. The side rail assemblies may also be pivotally connected at their lower ends so that each side rail may be swung outwardly and then beneath the stretcher table. As a third alternative, the side rail assembly may be constructed so as to fold flat against the stretcher table in the direction of the rails themselves.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,509,217 issued to Therrien, a side rail mounting assembly is shown for use with a hospital bed. Unlike the assemblies noted above, the side rail in Therrien is connected to the bed frame through a pair of linkage bars at each end of the side rail that effectively define a parallelogram. The rail assembly is then movable in a vertical plane, but with a pivot-like motion, for raising and lowering of the assembly. A locking mechanism is provided with the linkage at each end of the side rail assembly. The locking mechanism is located so as to engage both a linkage bar and the bed frame, with the result that the mechanism is postioned at both the head and foot ends of the bed, generally below the surface of the bed itself.
It is important in designing a stretcher to provide for lowering of the side rail assemblies in such a manner that they are moved well our of the way of the bed surface of the stretcher. This is important since in many instances it will be desirable to move a patient directly from the stretcher onto another surface, such as a bed or an examination table. This transfer is facilitated the closer the stretcher can be positioned to the corresponding equipment. Moreover, stretchers of the type considered here are frequently used in situations, such as emergency room settings, where it may be necessary for hospital personnel to gain access quickly to a patient to administer emergency care. In this regard, the Therrien mounting arrangement is disadvantageous in that one must first move to either the head or foot end of the bed, and then reach to a lower position in order to manipulate the locking mechanism to permit the side rail to be lowered. Thus, the attention of the attendant must be taken off the patient. Further, the lowering operation must be conducted with two hands, since one hand is required to release the locking mechanism, and the second is required to grip the side rail to prevent it from dropping once it has been unlocked.
What is needed, therefore, is a mounting arrangement for a side rail for a stretcher that enables an operator to release and lower the side rail with a one-handed motion, and that enables the operator to do so without leaving the side of the patient. Further, the side rail must be lowered in such a manner that little space is required around the stretcher, and in such a manner that the side rail assembly is positioned out of the way after it has been placed in a lowered position.